Author: Eric Veillette

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Mothra Attacks Toronto!

Eric Veillette

Well, not really. But since Lightbox screened Gojira alongside Mars Attacks last night, I thought I’d dig into the archive and share this June 1, 1962 Toronto Star advertisement for Mothra, the atomic fire-breather’s fellow kaiju. The “most monstrous beast ever created” — which could be referring to Rod Steiger —  played the Downtown Theatre and other screens. Horror and monster fans had plenty to work with that week: the New Toronto Biltmore was showing The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Horror of Dracula, A Bucket of Blood, and depending on your definition of horror, at the Metro, Jerry Lewis in … Continue reading Mothra Attacks Toronto!

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Classics From The Vault Presents Swing Time

Eric Veillette

Fred and Ginger return to Classics From The Vault at the Fox Theatre, our celebration of seldom-seen titles from the ’30s and ’40s, this upcoming Thursday, December 16th at 7PM! SWING TIME (1936) Directed by George Stevens Starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Victor More Featuring songs by Jerome Kern 103 min. | PG In their sixth screen collaboration, Astaire plays “Lucky” Garnett, a gambler and dancer who must raise $25 000 to win back the respect of his fiancee’s family after showing up late to his wedding. But while in New York, his world is turned upside down when he … Continue reading Classics From The Vault Presents Swing Time

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Ladies line up near the Uptown Theatre

Eric Veillette

Here’s a shot from April, 1946, showing a long lineup of ladies as the Uptown Theatre‘s marquee advertises Turhan Bey and Merle Oberon in Universal’s Technicolor spectacle Night in Paradise. The Star‘s Jack Karr called Arthur Lubin’s film “a big, wondrous joke.” The film opened on Wednesday, April 17, 1946. Check out the opening night ad! But what are the ladies lining up for? [1] Christina Stewart, media archivist at the CNE Archives, supposes they are waiting for a new shipment of nylons at the hosiery shop next to the Uptown — a likely occurrence in the post-ration days after the end … Continue reading Ladies line up near the Uptown Theatre

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New Classics From The Vault lineup announced

Eric Veillette

Last Thursday, at the Fox Theatre, we wrapped up the first season of Classics From The Vault, a fun, well-attended, five-month run of classic films that hadn’t played Toronto screens in several years. If you missed out, fear not — here’s the new lineup: November 11 (Remembrance Day): Lewis Milestone’s All Quiet On The Western Front | December 16: Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers in Swing Time | January 27: An MGM all-star cast in Dinner at Eight | February 24: Laurel & Hardy in The Flying Deuces | March 31: Bette Davis in Of Human Bondage | April 28: … Continue reading New Classics From The Vault lineup announced

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Gloria Swanson lures movie-goers at Gerrard & Coxwell

Eric Veillette

Shoveling through mountains of snow in mid-February, 1924, residents of  Gerrard and Coxwell are tempted by the gaze of starlet Gloria Swanson, appearing in  Toronto-born director Sydney Walcott’s film The Humming Bird at Shea’s Hippodrome on Monday, February 18. Although the Hippodrome was centrally located at the current site of Nathan Philips Square, its films were advertised at every end of the city. Many theatres  neighboured this stretch of Coxwell Ave. — the Family, the Beach, the Fox (then known as the Prince Edward) — but Torontonians still had to go to one of its biggest showplaces to see the … Continue reading Gloria Swanson lures movie-goers at Gerrard & Coxwell

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The Walking Dead at the Allenby Cinema

Eric Veillette

With Halloween but a day away, here’s a photo of the Allenby Theatre’s lobby in 1936, showing Boris Karloff in The Walking Dead, with Gorilla Man, Snooper Service and Night Watchman as b-pictures. The gimmick on the poster (“Blow on this spot — If it turns GREEN, you are too weak to…”) is typical of that era, and was probably tongue-in-cheekly enforced by a tuxedo-wearing cinema manager. By the time The Walking Dead reached the east-end cinema in July of 1936, it had already played several Toronto theatres, including the Aster, the Kenwood and the Madison (now the Bloor), where … Continue reading The Walking Dead at the Allenby Cinema

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Tough guys at the Yonge Theatre

Eric Veillette

When you compare Toronto’s modern-day film landscape to what existed in the ’70s, you know what’s missing? Well, yeah, porn. There was plenty of that. Lots of it. But the one thing you were guaranteed to find on every marquee, whether at a Yonge St. grindhouse or the Teepee Drive-In, was a healthy serving of Tough Guy Movies *. Thanks to the Star and the Sun’s gritty movie listings, the ads jumped out at you like a bare-knuckle punch. Michael Ritchie’s Prime Cut, which opened at the Yonge (now the Elgin) in July of 1972, is about as tough as … Continue reading Tough guys at the Yonge Theatre